Stephen King’s CARRIE Comes to RIVERDALE…as a Musical?

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Guess what, Riverdale fans? If you always dreamed of being in the Riverdale Drama Club, then you’re in luck. The CW sent us a sneak peek at Riverdale High’s drama department and it’s given us some serious food for thought! As the cast list and press release–which you can read in our gallery–show, the school will be putting on a musical version of Stephen King‘s Carrie (which actually was a very short-lived Broadway musical in 1988). And show tune fans, it’ll all take place in a special musical episode with ELEVEN songs! So what the heck does this mean for our cool/creepy kids? How does this fit into the greater world of the Archie-Verse? And could this herald the entry of a very familiar teenage witch?

Just like Riverdale, Carrie is a story focused on the stresses and horrors of being a teenager, so it makes a lot of sense that the show has chosen to use this supernatural scare fest as a way to channel the darker parts of Riverdale. There’s a lot about the casting which parallels the characters in the show. Cheryl as Carrie, a strange young girl who’s alienated by her peers. Betty and Archie as Tommy and Sue, who end up being party to the dangerous things that surround them for fear of starting trouble. This is also a great bit of meta-casting as it focuses on the ever-continuing will they won’t they of the “end game” couple. Jughead, of course, is playing the school weirdo, the Beak. This fun meta-commentary means that it’s pretty likely we’ll see the show lean even harder into its self referential edge as we move deeper into season two.

Cheryl as Carrie seems particularly resonant, especially when we view Carrie as a vengeful figure who’s cleansing a town of its sin. Sound familiar? Well it’s because that’s the modus operandi of the Black Hood, who many fans are sure is still out there after a lack luster reveal in the mid-season finale. Could this be a hint that Cheryl knows more about the identity of the serial killer than she’s let on? Or maybe the play is actually a metaphor for the legacy of the Black Hood, a not so subtle warning that just like the story’s iconic finale, chaos is coming to reign fire down on the small town of Riverdale?

At its heart Carrie, is a supernatural horror story. Could its inclusion be the moment that Riverdale finally properly crosses over with its spooky source material? Could we maybe see a shifty Sabrina, looking uncomfortable in the audience as she witnesses the supernatural brought to life on stage?

What do you think about our speculation? Can’t wait to see the core four take on an iconic horror story? Just wanna see a musical episode of Riverdale? Let us know in the comments!

You’ll be able to catch the episode on Wednesday, April 18th on The CW.